President Donald Trump said Democrats would shoulder the responsibility for a government shutdown if there is one after the Continuing Resolution (CR) passed the House of Representatives Wednesday.
Trump put the onus on Democrats while speaking to reporters during an Oval Office sit-down with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Trump noted that if Senate Democrats do not get on board with passing this CR, they would be “stopping all of these good things that we’re providing” as Republicans look to pass major tax and border legislation either in one bill or separately on the heels of Trump’s mandate election, in which the border and economy were the top two issues.
“If there’s a shutdown, it’s only because of the Democrats, and they would really be taking away a lot from our country and from the people of our country,” he added.
The CR passed the House by a vote of 217-213, with all Republicans, except Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), supporting it. Rep. Jared Golden (R-ME) was the lone Democrat to vote for the bill.
With the government set to expire at the end of the day Friday, all eyes are on Senate Democrats, as they will need to join Republicans to reach the 60-vote threshold to allow a floor vote on the CR and avoid a government shutdown. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said Wednesday that Democrats would reject the funding bill. However, Schumer’s posturing reportedly began to change, at least behind the scenes, as of Thursday, as Breitbart News Deputy Politics Editor Bradley Jaye noted, citing the Hill:
The Hill reports that Senate Democrats are giving private assurances they will not allow a government shutdown, despite the activist wing with its growing chokehold over the party demanding further resistance to Trump.
The report says despite Schumer insisting on an amendment vote on a shorter-term CR to give appropriators more time to negotiate a massive omnibus bill, he is giving his “centrists” space to vote to end debate and proceed to final passage.
Citing Democrats familiar with internal deliberations, The Hill reports Schumer’s Wednesday positioning against the CR was a maneuver “designed to save face.”
Trump said Thursday he hears “a lot of Democrats are going to vote for it” and that he has personally “spoken to some of them” who want to.
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